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Semi-wholemeal einkorn wheat flour bread 09-12-2021

by luciano

The test was carried out with the same method illustrated several times on the site (1):
Preferment (sponge) (2): semi-wholemeal einkorn wheat flour (passing through a 600 micron sieve), sourdough in liquid form of einkorn wheat (same as the dough), brewer’s yeast in very limited quantities as a starter, water.

Final dough: preferment, einkorn wheat flour (passing through a 600 micron sieve), sourdough in liquid form of einkorn wheat (same as the dough), brewer’s yeast in very limited quantities as a starter, extra virgin olive oil, malt, salt, water.
We obtained a very fragrant bread, with an accentuated flavor of wheat, but above all with an excellent texture and very digestible.
The long maturation with the sourdough (always made with the some einkorn wheat) has allowed us to achieve these results.
The hydrolysis of gluten by the sourdough is clearly visible in Photo n. 1: after the very long cold maturation (5 degrees) and the subsequent heating up to 19-20 degrees, the dough has an underdeveloped, indeed “deteriorated” gluten network. The formation of the “loaf” or “roll” with the usual technique is not possible, the dough does not lend itself to “modeling”. A ball or roll is therefore made for final proof in a basket (Photo N. 2). Photo No. 3 shows the dough at the end of leavening ready for the oven; the surface does not appear homogeneous or elastic. The result Photo NN. 4 and 5 show the success of the test and above all the photos NN. 6, 7, 8, 9 are tangible proof of the excellent result of the texture which presents a disordered crumb in the distribution of the holes but definitely present: the bread is not compact at all. Looking at the state of the dough (Photo N.1) it would not seem possible to obtain the result shown in photo n9!.

Photo n. 1

Einkorn wheat flour dough

by luciano

The dough for bread with einkorn wheat presents some difficulties due both to the fact that it is low in gluten and, above all, because it is a weak gluten that develops a limited gluten network.
We publish a video of the behavior of the phase in which a final dough * for bread with einkorn wheat is worked with a “fork” type mixer, contrasting it with a final dough made with other wheat (Timilia).
The difference in the behavior of the two different doughs is substantial.

Both doughs were made with the same method:

Einkorn wheat pre-dough: einkorn wheat flour, sourdough in liquid form of einkorn wheat (same as the dough), very limited quantities of brewer’s yeast as a starter, water.

Final dough of einkorn wheat: pre-dough, einkorn wheat flour, sourdough in liquid form of einkorn wheat (same as the dough), brewer’s yeast in very limited quantities as a starter, extra virgin olive oil, malt, salt, water.

Timilia wheat pre-dough: Timilia wheat flour, sourdough in liquid form of einkorn wheat (the same as the previous dough), very limited quantities of brewer’s yeast as a starter, water.

Final dough of Timilia wheat: pre-dough, Timilia wheat flour, sourdough in liquid form of monococcus wheat (the same as the previous dough), brewer’s yeast in very limited quantities as a starter, extra virgin olive oil, malt, salt, water.

NO additives or improvers were used.
Both flours were of the semi-wholemeal type (passing 600 microns sieve ).

The videos show how the Timilia wheat mixture is more homogeneous and “formable” and less “sticky” than the other. The difference is due to the different gluten: the more “performing” one generated by Timilia wheat. From the two videos it is possible to see the traces that the einkorn wheat mixture leaves in the mixer (further documented by photo “A”) absent in the case of the Timilia wheat.

Einkorn flour will never give easy, homogeneous elastic doughs unless the einkorn has been “domesticated”, for example with nitrogen fertilizers.

Video about Einkorn: https://youtu.be/Wugt9OrbMzQ

Video about “Timilia” : https://youtu.be/LYcnmdNtuxU

Photo “A”